5 PICKS???!!! wow the Nuggets are just going to shoot themselves in the foot here with those demands even if each of those five 1st rounders do not amount to a star like Melo how are you going to try to add some young cheap talent to surround Melo with? Even with NJ having some extra picks right now to trade they dont have five that they can trade without destroying that team of current and future talent. I understand Denver wanting to not get hosed on a deal but c'mon the closer it draws to the deadline and the longer Melo goes without an extension to harder it will be for them to make a deal.
We're still a couple months away from the deadline. Why would Denver deal Carmelo now? He would only go to NJ and help them win more games to make the draft pick less valuable. Asking for five first rounders is entirely too much -- but it's the kind of negotiating strategy that you put on when you're still a few months away from pulling the trigger. Make them think like you're asking too much, then when you "come down" to 3-4 1st rounders, the other team feels like they got a better deal.
Forgot to add, only with an extended Carmelo though. Those are some long contracts from Harrington and Birdman.
My question was actually rhetorical. You're right, I understand that is what people see in him. My point is that that isn't a very good reason. Too many teams fall in love with "potential". The kid is playing 19 minutes a game, because he can't stay on the court any longer. He's averaging 6.2 fouls per 36 minutes. For any teams who might think he could become Dwight-lite, they might want to take a look at what Dwight-Dwight was doing at 19 years old.
Yao Ming, our unprotected first rounder and C-bud/T-will for Melo rental and Chris Andersen. Nuggs gets $$$ savings from Yao and Chris Andersen's contracts off the books, gets C-bud or T-will as a young talent and a lotto pick. Seems a good deal for an unextended Melo.
I don't see Morey giving up an unprotected pick, especially not for a rental. Also, as HMMHMMM (or however he spells it) corrected me, the Rockets CANNOT trade their 2011 first round pick, since they don't have a GUARANTEED 2012 first round pick (the Knicks' pick is top-5 protected, and the Rockets lose their pick to NJ if they make the playoffs). I'd perhaps be willing to give up Yao, Jordan Hill, Chase Budinger, the 2011 second rounder and cash for a Melo rental and Andersen. The Nuggets get two good prospects in Hill and Bud, a pick in the 31-35 range, and they also net about $13-14 million this year alone. For a freakin' RENTAL, Denver would be foolish not to take that deal. I just don't see another team coughing up more for a rental, and Morey's not going to bid against himself. Brooks/Lowry/Smith Martin/Lee Melo/Battier/Williams Scola/Patterson/Jeffries Hayes/Miller/Andersen That's a nice team, still with plenty of youth, and the Rockets still have the 2011 pick (the higher of their own or the Knicks) AND the Knicks' 2012 pick.
it honestly wouldn't surprise me if the knicks traded melo 3 months after signing him for howard when he wont resign with orlando heck it's what any smart gm would do.
Perhaps if worst comes to worst, they can S&T, but it would be impossible to match salaries from NY. And this is if he bolts to NY. And he will regardless of a S&T.
imo, this season is just not worth the rental. Would be a different story if Yao were playing. I'm totally against the rental aspect.
Actually, the Knicks will be within striking distance of having enough cap room to sign Melo. A sign-and-trade of Melo to the Knicks in exchange for Anthony Randolph, swap rights on the Knicks 2013 pick and the Knicks' 2014 pick outright ought to do the trick. That's IF Morey can't first convince Melo to stick around for many, many millions more than he'd get even in a sign-and-trade to New York.
carmelo's skillset is probably closer to amare's than howards is. Crappy defense, average rebounder, great scorer (and in similar ways), both are great clutch players. Dwight on the other hand...Great defense, Great rebounder, decent scorer (really only plays low post scoring)...
Average rebounder? Melo is second highest rebounding SF in the league after Odom and averages the same rebounds as Scola. His defense isn't nearly as bad as everyone says it is either. His opponent's production is one of the lowest in the league at the SF position and he doesn't have the luxury of playing along side with a defensive stopper. The only thing Melo is average at is passing.
I forgot to mention that Melo is one of the best ISO players in the league which is exactly what we need since Brooks is the only person that can remotely create his own shot.
PG: Billups/Lowry SG: Martin/Lee SF: Anthony/Battier/Williams PF: Scola/Harrington/Hayes C: Andersen/Miller That's a championship team.
I would in a heart beat. We could get players like Chandler, Fields, or Galo in the summer if he wants to do a sign and trade.
